Ukraine threatens Moldova with sanctions

After the Government has decided to impose temporary trade restrictions on some categories of goods from Ukraine, the Ukrainian Ministry of Economic Development and Trade informed that there could be introduced the similar sanctions against our country.

"We believe that the introduction of such a mechanism of trade violates the CIS Free Trade Zone Agreement. It also harms the good neighborly relations between the two countries, both having Association Agreements with the European Union. Our exporters suffer millions losses. Therefore Ukraine will give an appropriate response that will cause even more damage for the Moldovan exporters and other sectors of the Moldovan economy" – commented Natalia Mikolski, the Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine, according to the UNIAN.

During the consultations held between the Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine Stepan Kubiv and the Minister of Economy of Moldova Octavian Calmic, the Ukrainian side noted that our country's concern about the rising of the volume of Ukrainian exports is due to the Russian embargo. The Ukrainian side says that exports have fallen significantly from their country.

According to the statistics, in 2015 exports from Ukraine decreased by 29.5% to 524 million dollars, and the total trade turnover between the two countries decreased by 29.8% to 565,6 million dollars.

The Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine claimed that the Moldovan parties’ statements regarding the poor quality of the meat, dairy and cement exported from Ukraine are groundless. Especially after the Moldovan National Food Safety Agency made several quality tests after those 58 Ukrainian companies have obtained the export right.

"During the meeting, there was discussed the position of the Ukrainian side on the unfounded actions of Moldova, following the introduction of the restrictions", claimed the Minister of Economic Development of Ukraine.

The official visit of the Minister of Economy of Moldova Octavian Calmic to Kiev will take place on June, 6.

On May, 13 the resolution "On the introduction of trade restrictions to protect autochthone market" of the Government of Moldova came into the force.